Target



April 6, 1937. A. R. STOWELL V 3 TARGET Filed April 16, 1955 Patented Api. 6, 1937 UN I T'E'D STATE S.

TARGET Arthur R. Stowell', Greenwood; Maine, assgnorto Stowell Targets, Inc., Lockes Mills, Maine- Application April 16',

'7 Claims.

being struck, but such articles made of c1ay or glass are expensive, and sometimes, dangerous.

The prime object of my invention is to produce atarget of grained wood so manufactured and mounted, that it Will break upon being hit by a bullet. These targets can be manufactured sufficiently cheapto permit ndividuals, gun clubs, and otherorganizations using them.

Another object of the invention is to produce a target so constructed that it will break upon being; hit and so Wi11 fa1l from the support on whichit is mounted.

Stili another object.is to provide structure for mounting a series of targts so that slow, time and. rapid fre san be-utilized, and the scorer and shooter Will immediately know the success of the shots, since the targets Will be broken and dislodged from the supporting structure.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the target disk partly inserted on the pin;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the disk in position on the pin, as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing theapproach of the bullet, and in dotted 1ines the action upon the bullet striking the disk;

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a modified form of the invention shown in Figure 3 with the disk being struck by the bullet;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the cross grained disk before the same has been rounded off, as compared with the disk shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 made with the grain;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a fiat supporting structure, such as cardboard, to receive the targets;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section of a modified form of pin construction;

Figure 8 is a sid-e elevation, partly broken away, of another modified form of the pin construction; and

Figure 9 is a perspective of the preferred form of the disk being struck by a. bullet.

1935, Serial N0. 16,705

Inthe drawing, in which similar parts are de signed with like. numerals:

Numeral. H'Ldesgnatesasupport of cardboardor 1ike material having a series of apertures H formed therein conssting preferably: of three 5 rows, five apertures to a row,,as shown in Figure6i A pin: [2, asshown in Figure 3, is formedvvith a base portioni3- adapted.tobe inserted through the aperture Il formed in the supporting p1ate ii3j, the base portion being larger than said aperture. A shank extends from said base portion E3 and has shoulders !5 formed therein, said shoulders being of greater diameter, than the base DOIOII, 13. At the opposite end of the shank |4 from the base po rtion 13 is formedan oval head 15 of slightly larger diameter than the shank 14.

A. disk ili; out with or. across, the grain, has a triangularseotion |8 out therefrom, the base [9 being adjacent one edgebut spaced therefrom, the angular side 20 of the out extending to che, opposite periphery of the disk [1. A11 aperture 2|, slightly smaller than. the.head I of the pin l 2, is formed, in the center of, the disk. Il and ex.-

tends through the triangular seotion l8, the dameter of the aperture 2| being substantially the same as the diameter of the shank 14. In the manufacture of smaller disks, the slot is often rectangular instead of trangular. However, the n triangular slot may be used in all szes as necessary.

As actually used, the pins l2 are inserted from the front of the supporting member Il], the base portions I 3 being forced through the apertures II. The material used in the supporting structure is sufficiently pliable to receive the base portons I 3, even though the same are slightly larger and will closely adhere to the shank M. The supporting structure Will be flanked on one side by the base portion l3 and on the other by the shoulders l5. The disks I I Will be forced over the heads l6, as shown in Figure 1, causing the sides of the out l8 to expand. Upon being forced clear of the heads |6, the sides Will assume a normal poston, as shown in Figure 2, and the aperture 2! Will fit snugly around the shank l4.

Figure 6 shows the shooter forcing the disks in place. Uponthe disks being positioned on the pins, the shooter is ready to start; and upon a a bullet striking the disk as shown in Figure 3, the impact Will force the disks against the shoulder l5, which acts as a fulcrum and causes the disk to break. This is greatly facilitated by the slot which extends substantially across the face of the disk and will resu1t in the disk being broken and falling from its support indicating to the shooter a hit.

As shown in Figure 4, the structure is modified 5 in that instead of having the shoulders |5 formed on the shank I4, a base portion 22 is formed on the rear of the disk adapted to receive a. nail or thumb tack 23 from the rear of the supporting material. Under this construction, the slot is omitted, and upon the bullet striking the disk as shown in Figure 4, the same Wil1 break.

In this construction, it is preferable that the disks be out across the grain to facilitate the breaking of the same.

As shown in Figure 7, the construction of the preferred form is further modified by forming the shouiders |5 separate; otherwise the construction is the same.

Figure 8 shows a. modified form in which a pin 24, instead of having the base portion l3 as shown in the preferred form, utilizes a sharp projection forming a part of the pin and extending from the shoulders 15 which can be inserted through the supporting structure IO without the use of 25 apertures Il.

From the description given, it is apparent that I have produced a. cheaplymanufactured target that can be quickly mounted for target shooting purposes, and which will always break upon a direct hit being scored. My construction Will greatly facilitate the enjoyment of target shooting and eliminate many of the disadvantages now present. It is obvious that a frame supporting structure could be used as well as the cardboard structure shown, without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A target for shooting contests or the like, comprising a wooden disk having a slot extending through said disc from one periphery diametrcally across the disk to a point adjacent the opposite periphery whereby said disc may be mounted.

2. A target for shooting contests Or the like,

comprsing a, wooden disk having a slot extending through said disc from one periphery across the disk diametrically to a point adjacent the opposite periphery and ext&nding through the center of the disk whereby said disc may be mounted.

3. A target for shooting contests or the like, comprising a wooden disk having a triangular slot extending substantially across said target, the base of the triangie spaced from the periphery of one side of the disk, the two legs meeting in the opposite periphery.

4. A target for shooting contests or the like, comprising a wooden disk having a triangular slot extending substantially across said target, the base of the triangle spaced from the perphery of one side of the disk, the two 1egs meeting in the opposite periphery, both legs passing through an aperture formed in the center of the disk.

5. A target for shootng contests or the like, comprising a wooden disk having a slot extending from one periphery to a point adjacent the opposite periphery, and having an aperture formed intermediate the ends of the slot, a shank extending through said aperture and having a head on one end, shoulders on said shank behind said disk and a base member formed on the apposite end of said shank from said head adapted te fit into a support.

6. A target apparatus comprising a supporting structure and having openings formed therein, pins in said openings, said pins having a shank portion, a disk on said shank portion, shoulders on said shank between said supporting structure and said disk, said shoulders being of greater diameter than the opening in said supporting structure.

7. A target apparatus comprising a supporting structure, pins extending through said supporting structure, said pins having a shank portion, a disk on said shank, shouiders on said shank between said supoprting structure and said disk, said sheuiders being of greater diameter than that portion of the pin extending through said supporting structure.

ARTHUR R. STOWELL. 

